Electric-lighting apparatus for vehicles.



w. H'. HONSBERGER. ELECTRIC LIGHTING APPARATUS FORVEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29. 1916.

Patented July 17, 1917.

In (201M121 /)."7/ --4 UNITED STATES PATENT ornroe.

WILLIAM HENRY HONSZBERGER, OF WELLAND, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-- FOURTH TO GEORGE 0. BROWN, OF WELLAND, ONTARIO, CANADA.

ELECTRIC-LIGHTING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 17, 1917.

Application filed September 29, 1916. Serial No. 122,913.

To all whom it may concern:

- clear, and exact description of the same.

7 One of the principal causes of danger, in driving after dark, is the blinding effect of the glare from the head lights of an approaching vehicle, and to this numerous accidents are directly attributable. Various devices have been provided to control this 'glare by limiting the diflusion'of the light rays,and others have been rovided for the dlmmlng of the lamps. While most automo- -bi1es have been equipped with such devices many drivers owing to the optical eflects,

resulting from the sudden change in the illumination, and the difficulty of seeing-the road as a result of such change',-lf'ail, or neglect, to make use of the light controlling appliances, and the consequence is that approachin-gvehicles are in constant danger of accident until the glare has passed beyond the vision of the' drivers.

My present invention, therefore, relates to electric headf lights connected in series or multiple to a source of current, and the primary object of the invention is to control the strength of these lights through the agency of anauxiliary' light and resistor, selectively cut into and out of circuit with the head lights by a set of switches which can be operated; (a) to close the circuit through the head lights and, shunt it around the auxiliary light and the resistor whereby the lamps of the head lights will be furnished with the maximum current for their greatest brilliancy; or (b) to place the resistor in circuit with the head lights and shunt the current around the auxiliary light, thus dimming the head lights without illuminating 'the auxiliary light; or (c) to place the auxiliary light irf circuit with-the headlights,

and shunt the-current around the resistor, f

J-cuit having strength of the light of the head lamps from thus dimmin the head lights and illuminating the auxi 'ary light 'to its highest bril-' liancy; substantially as and for the pur pose hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings Fi e 1, isa diagrammatic view showing the head lights, and the auxiliary light and the resistor connected in series, and Fig. 2, is a diagrammatic view showing the head lights, and the auxiliary light and the resistors connected in multiple series.-

Like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawings.

In Fig. 1, (1 represents the source of current, which in the case of automobiles usually consists of a motor generator or storage battery; I), Z), represent the lamps, of the head lights 0, 0, connected in series with the source of current a by the head light circuit comprising the conductors d, d, d", in which is the main switch 6,- f represents a resistor and f, f the conductors of the resistor circuit, in which is a switch g, the conductor being joined at g to the conductor f, it represents the lamp of the auxiliary light it andv z, 71, represent the conductors of the auxiliary light circuit, the conductor 2', being joined at i, to the conductor 7, and the conductor 2', returning to the source of current or ground; j, 7" represent the conductors of a shunt circuit in which is a switch 7'", the conductor j being joined at 70, to the conductor 2', and the conductor 1'', being joined at to the conductor i.

For the brilliant illumination of the head lights the switches e, g, and j? are all closed;

the circuit then being from the source of vsource a to the conductor f being the same as that previously described and from the conductor. I being through the resistor f to the con uctorsf', z, y, j, and i, the re- 'sistance ofi'ered to the current in this cirthe effect of reducing the a glare to a glimmer, which 1s particularly advantageous in traveling through populous and well lighted localities, where the full strength of the head lights is not IQqllll'fll,

and the head lights can be dimmed, and a 4 '1 auxiliary light can be provided to illuminate the road, by closing the switches e, and g, and opening the switch '3'", the circuitthen being from the source-.a, through the con- 5 ductors d, d", 61,"7, f, and i to the lamp h and return conductor 71, the current then being shunted around the resistor and through the lamp of the auxiliary light.

a The lamp of the auxiliary light is of less 1 candle power than the lamps of the head lights and draws thecurrentfromithe latter;

and leaves them in a dimmed condition, the current then lighting the auxiliary lamp to its full brilliancy, for the illumination of the road, whilev the headlights remain so 'dlmmed. i v

This auxiliary light is placed with respect to the vehicleso that it will clearly show the road to the driver-of -the Vehicle with which it'is used and at the same time will not project its light rays into the eyes of an approaching driver. As the traflic regulations in most places-requireapproaching-vehicles to pass to' the left of each other, this auxil- 2 iary light may conveniently, bejplaced at the right of the vehicle, preferably well back from 'the front, and if desired at an angle to the direction of travel to difi'use the light rays to the sideinstead of straight ahead,

'and clearly light the -path which is to be followed. 1 In Fig. 2, 3 represents the source of cu'rrent; an, m, w, m represent the head light circuit, and w, w, the lamps for the head lights/0,11; u, u represent the cir cuit :ffor the resistor t, the conductor u 'being' 'JOiIlGd, at crto the conductors m", 1:21.3, 8'

, represent the auxiliary lamp circuit of which the conductor 3 is. joined to the conductor u"; 1' "1" represent the conductors of ductor w, to the conductor. :0, lamps 'w,-'w',

-- of the head lights, '0, '0, conductors in", w, a, u", 8 1', 1", .and sf, but without going i through eitherthe resistor t orlamp -s". When the head lights are. to be dimmed without illuminating the aum'liary light, the, V switches 2,- 2 are closedv and z is opened,

the current fromthe circuit, m, w, a), a), then passing through the resistor t, to the conductors s, 'r, "1", 8', thus cutting'out the auxiliary light.

When th head lights are to be dimmed and the auxiliary light illuminated the switches z, z are closed, and the switch a" is opened, the circuit then being by'means of the conductors m, m, w", w, -u,"u", and s, lamp 8 and conductor 8, to ground or c source of current, the lamp of the auxlhary' light being of less candle power than the lamps of the head lights, andthe result being the same as in the system described with" regard to Fig. 1.-

. By either of the systems above described the current may circuit through the head.

lights only, or the resistor may be connected in series with the head lights to reduce the strength of their illumination and "the current shunted around the auxiliary light, or

the auxiliary "light maybe connectedv in shunted aroundth'e resistor forthe brilliant,

series withthe' head lights and the current illumination of the: auxiliary light and" the automatic dimining of'the head lights.

Having thus fully describedmy invention, what I claim as new and*desire'to secureby- (Letters Patent is 1 Ail-electric lighting apparatus forlyehicles comprising, a switch controlled head light; f circuit, aswitch controlled resistor circuit, connected with the hea'd light circuit, an

auxiliary light circuit connected with the re- 'sistorcircuit, and a switch controlled shunt circuit connectedwith the auxiliary light circuit, whereby the closing of the. head light, resistor, and shunt circuits will out out the resistor and auxiliary. lights 'for the brilliant illumination of the headlights; "and the o ening-ofthe resistor circuit and the closing of the head light and shunt circuits will placethe resistor ;inlseries with the head lights for the dimming thereof without illuminating: the auxiliary light;. T and'the opening of the shuntlcii'cuit, andof the head 1ight--and"res1stor the closing circuits W111 cut out the resistorand place the auxiliary light in series with the head lights, for the brilliant illumination of the auxiliary light and the dimming of the head lights. j Welland, Ontario, September 16th, 1916.

WILLIAM HENRY HOHSBERGEB. Signed in the presence of C AS. H. Rronns, 4

Gno. .H. RICIEEES.

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